Rory McIlroy has urged his hero Tiger Woods to keep on golfing in the hopes he can return to the famous St Andrews course in Scotland.
Icon Tiger bowed out of the 150th Open Championship in underwhelming circumstances on Friday, but Rory McIlroy hopes that's not the last we'll see of him at St. Andrews.
Woods, 46, failed to make the cut at The Open for just the fourth time in his career and left the competition after scoring nine-over par across the first two rounds. It's a far cry from the form that once saw him lift the Claret Jug on three occasions, two of which materialised on the Old Course.
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The major won't return to Fife in Scotland until 2026 at the earliest, with Royal Liverpool Royal Troon and Royal Portrush confirmed as hosts for the next three years (in that order). However, McIlroy plead with his long-time companion to stick it out in the hopes of a more fitting St. Andrews send-off, Mirror UK reports.
“It would have been a cool moment if he was eight under not eight over. Everyone hopes it’s not the end of his Old Course career," four-time major-winner McIlroy, 33, told reporters after carding a 68 on Friday to head into the weekend joint-third on the leaderboard.
“Hopefully The Open's back here in four or five years' time and he does get another crack at it with how good he's been throughout his career and how good he's been at The Old Course. He's got better in him. That’s not the way to bow out."
Woods made his golf comeback at the Masters earlier this year, more than 12 months after he suffered serious leg injuries in a life-threatening car crash. It appeared those issues hampered his play at times in Fife, and McIlroy recognised the role that's likely played in affecting his friend's ability to perform.
“I've got pretty close to Tiger over these last few years especially after the accident and I think we've all sort of rallied around him. We all want to see him do well.
“He was all our hero growing up and we want to see him still out there competing. This week was obviously a tough week for him but we're all behind him. We're all pulling for him. Hopefully he's back here in the next four, five years and playing in another Open Championship on the Old Course.”
Woods cut an emotional figure as he walked up to the 18th at St. Andrews for what could be the final time on Friday, struggling to hold back the tears at a venue very close to his heart. Regardless of whether McIlroy gets his wish, St. Andrews and the wider golf community will look back fondly on all of Woods' Open legacy, and not just Friday's slightly soured send-off.
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